Technology gets old — it's just the way it works (or stops working). So what do you do with it when it's time for a new laptop or cell phone? Unless you've got one of the new biodegradable cell phones, you probably don't want to chuck all that plastic and silicon into a landfill where it will probably sit for the next few thousand years. So what are your options for recycling your technology?

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The first place you should check out is the EPA website for an extensive list of companies that allow you to recycle your e-waste in various ways, whether through take-backs, mail-ins, or even trade-in incentive programs. Among the companies listed is Office Depot, which applies a two-dollar cash award to your rewards card for each printer ink cartridge you turn in (although you may also want to look into refilling your used cartridges). Sprint, also listed there, has a "Buy Back" program that gives Sprint customers an account credit for returning select Sprint or Nextel phones. The website also has links to places that you can recycle electronic devices like computers, printers, TVs, and monitors.

To check if you should sell or just donate your used technology, enter the make and model number on the site www.usell.com. After answering a few of their questions about the device's condition, they provide you with a list of available options for selling or recycling it in your area. Accounts are free to sign up for and you can make a considerable amount of cash back for your old devices.

If you want to support the earth as well as the men and women serving in the military, check out www.cellphonesforsoldiers.com. This program takes donations of old phones and provides soldiers stationed overseas with calling cards that allow them to connect with their families back home. Visit the site and click "Donate a Phone" to get a pre-paid mailing label, or find a local drop site in your area.